Tuesday, January 15, 2008
10 things. Simple keys to happiness...
ok. giving face eh =P. emily tagged me on this... so, yup,
“Just list 10 things that make you happy on a regular basis. Hence, pay raises that typically come once a year won’t count. These are things that make you smile at least once a week… to remind you, in spite of all the ranting you have to regularly get out of your system, life is good.
- Rational Neurotic.”
Yeah. it echoes my sentiments when it comes to counting my blessings and such and those small things in life that makes life great despite all the horrible stuff and how contented i am despite loving to rant and lament bout anything and everything... i guess my list and the elaboration ensuing won't do any of them justice cos try as i might i can't capture that essence of those small but significant stuff in words. many of the points cover more than one thing, but yet a few of the points can definitely be lumped into one umbrella branch. and on hindsight (yes, i'm typing this after getting a rough list done) i think there are definitely things i overlooked and skimmed through when in reality it's definitely more significant. but oh well. here goes...
1) Lazy afternoon with a cuppa
hmm, yeah. so how can it not start with coffee. it's just one of the simple but beautiful pleasures of life. and recently i've found that one of the best times to have it is on a lazy afternoon, with nary a committment, in a cosy li'l cafe with a cup of cafe latte... i like how coffee seems to slow time down for me, giving me the time to contemplate the li'l wonders of life. couple that with the papers, my ds and ipod, people watching (usually a combination of all of them) and it's THE way to spend a day. and when i can afford one afternoon just whiling away doing nothing but just slowly taking in life it must mean life's been treating quite well giving me a long deserved break
and on the topic of coffee, it's not just those lazy afternoons with a cafe latte. morning breakfast with kopi-gao (preferably with half-boiled eggs and toast or economic bee hoon) or the shot of double espresso when i'm dead tired... i can't imagine life without my miracle drug
2) Hanging out with friends
social animals we are. as much of a loner i can be few things can beat hanging out with friends... there's the usual gang (terence, lymon, ash and aaron; eric once a year), the experience which i can't really describe. trying to will prob just demean it. then there's watching soccer, staying overnight at vinnie's for big matches with shiu hei, vinnie (of course), aaron, zhen hao, hongyi, kenneth and everyone (i probably missed some guy out haha). it's interesting how army have brought us closer together for the two groups i've mentioned. it's like back in sch we were all cooped up with our own stuff and just went bout our own lives but now that army have monopolised our time, it's like we've learned to take a step back and learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of just hanging out once every now and then. ok. maybe it's just me haha. then there's the bball at sembawang gang, shaun after work, syc, 04, alpha section mates... i've been blessed. i probably don't meet many of them often enough, and i probably should chat more online and stuff to just keep in contact but i'm thankful i have these group of friends to count on. each one brings a different experience and i'm savoring every bit of it
3) Striking it big!
Ah, the vices. indians drink, chinese gamble. i'm just slave to my genes. well, betting's been quite a big part of my life since army started. i know i'd lose money in the long run but it's the thrill of the process. i guess i'm just a sucker. so i just take it as entertainment, be prepared to fork up some money every month to charity (hey, earnings of singapore pools go to the community). i just have to be careful not to chase losses and don't put too much money on the line. and so far i've done that... but my, the experience of winning a bet, no matter how small. i might end a week of betting having just earned back my stake but it's still fun and nice to hold the winning ticket in the hand, seeing ur prediction come true, thinking u've cheated the odds and analysed it better than those computers and realists and such. and there's the social aspect of it too, talking to others bout each other's analysis and such. i think my duty will pass so slowly without it. yup, it's a vice, but what's a little indulgence
---
ok. i'm tired. i haven't done the elaboration for the rest (and i can't seem to put things succinctly in one line to capture the essence of stuff). so, yup. i'd continue some other day. now that i think bout it there's many times procrastinating these blog entries just ends up it being not blogged forever. oh well. hopefully i'd get down to it and finish it up
“Just list 10 things that make you happy on a regular basis. Hence, pay raises that typically come once a year won’t count. These are things that make you smile at least once a week… to remind you, in spite of all the ranting you have to regularly get out of your system, life is good.
- Rational Neurotic.”
Yeah. it echoes my sentiments when it comes to counting my blessings and such and those small things in life that makes life great despite all the horrible stuff and how contented i am despite loving to rant and lament bout anything and everything... i guess my list and the elaboration ensuing won't do any of them justice cos try as i might i can't capture that essence of those small but significant stuff in words. many of the points cover more than one thing, but yet a few of the points can definitely be lumped into one umbrella branch. and on hindsight (yes, i'm typing this after getting a rough list done) i think there are definitely things i overlooked and skimmed through when in reality it's definitely more significant. but oh well. here goes...
1) Lazy afternoon with a cuppa
hmm, yeah. so how can it not start with coffee. it's just one of the simple but beautiful pleasures of life. and recently i've found that one of the best times to have it is on a lazy afternoon, with nary a committment, in a cosy li'l cafe with a cup of cafe latte... i like how coffee seems to slow time down for me, giving me the time to contemplate the li'l wonders of life. couple that with the papers, my ds and ipod, people watching (usually a combination of all of them) and it's THE way to spend a day. and when i can afford one afternoon just whiling away doing nothing but just slowly taking in life it must mean life's been treating quite well giving me a long deserved break
and on the topic of coffee, it's not just those lazy afternoons with a cafe latte. morning breakfast with kopi-gao (preferably with half-boiled eggs and toast or economic bee hoon) or the shot of double espresso when i'm dead tired... i can't imagine life without my miracle drug
2) Hanging out with friends
social animals we are. as much of a loner i can be few things can beat hanging out with friends... there's the usual gang (terence, lymon, ash and aaron; eric once a year), the experience which i can't really describe. trying to will prob just demean it. then there's watching soccer, staying overnight at vinnie's for big matches with shiu hei, vinnie (of course), aaron, zhen hao, hongyi, kenneth and everyone (i probably missed some guy out haha). it's interesting how army have brought us closer together for the two groups i've mentioned. it's like back in sch we were all cooped up with our own stuff and just went bout our own lives but now that army have monopolised our time, it's like we've learned to take a step back and learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of just hanging out once every now and then. ok. maybe it's just me haha. then there's the bball at sembawang gang, shaun after work, syc, 04, alpha section mates... i've been blessed. i probably don't meet many of them often enough, and i probably should chat more online and stuff to just keep in contact but i'm thankful i have these group of friends to count on. each one brings a different experience and i'm savoring every bit of it
3) Striking it big!
Ah, the vices. indians drink, chinese gamble. i'm just slave to my genes. well, betting's been quite a big part of my life since army started. i know i'd lose money in the long run but it's the thrill of the process. i guess i'm just a sucker. so i just take it as entertainment, be prepared to fork up some money every month to charity (hey, earnings of singapore pools go to the community). i just have to be careful not to chase losses and don't put too much money on the line. and so far i've done that... but my, the experience of winning a bet, no matter how small. i might end a week of betting having just earned back my stake but it's still fun and nice to hold the winning ticket in the hand, seeing ur prediction come true, thinking u've cheated the odds and analysed it better than those computers and realists and such. and there's the social aspect of it too, talking to others bout each other's analysis and such. i think my duty will pass so slowly without it. yup, it's a vice, but what's a little indulgence
---
ok. i'm tired. i haven't done the elaboration for the rest (and i can't seem to put things succinctly in one line to capture the essence of stuff). so, yup. i'd continue some other day. now that i think bout it there's many times procrastinating these blog entries just ends up it being not blogged forever. oh well. hopefully i'd get down to it and finish it up
